Spam email contining only image (or hyperlink)

[ALF28]

DATING EMAILS

I have had 4 of these, they are sent to a group of people usually up to 20 at a time.

They contain a link and an inline embedded  image which shows as a block of text in a foreign language, as I do switch off images and html. They contain base 64 encoding.

The sender uses a host in the netherlands.

As the emails are repeated many times over a number of days,the object may be to deliver malware using the embeddded html content -

The embedded content/image would get through normal image blocking, but I read in text format with html unticked, it at least prevents any  obcene images getting through.

see

Using Base64 for malware obfuscation - Infosec Resources (infosecinstitute.com)

The good news is that virgin are detecting these emails as spam. Base 64 encoded content (Embedded content) is is a common method of adding inline images which converts binary to html text and the email size  can be very small or very large. I have had one that cause buffer overflow with many images.

I am not sure why I am a target for dating emails as I am too old and have never used such sites, but do regularly get a spate of such emails which usually have images of people.

The alternative is to use attached images which need to be clicked on, but by embedding the image it enforces the reader to see the image as an inline image which is part of the email.

alf28

[ALF28]

DATING EMAILS  15/06/2022

I had another dating type email, the spammer  has changed the sender email address but this is from the same server as the previous dating emails based in the netherlands. The email has embedded content. I have added the sender address to my filters.

I have not had any dating emails  for 7 weeks.

All recent spam is picked up by virgin approx only 2 per week, including dating, nhs presciptions,inheritance scam, pharmacy, clothing.

The more dangerous ones are the inheritance scam and the dating emails.

alf28

[ALF28]

spam email dangers

I sometimes get emails that have embedded images  (more recently coming) which enable spammers to insert inline linked text or images/base64 encoded content.

I do switch off the html but these emails  can bypass image blocking and  they can contain hyperlinks or inline hosted embedded images and link back to the spammers server  and provide data of your system, IP address etc, to the spammer. this is a technique often used by advertisers/spammer/hackers as it can bypass any image blocking setting.

I also get emails which appear to be from a particular web site/domain, and when investigated the web site may be fake or set up as an affilate or phishing website which is not the owner of the advertised product/company and sending emails with embedded images which may enable hackers to get  data and enable a back  door/trojan into your compter system.

see-

Why just opening a spam email could open the door for fraudsters (lovemoney.com)

You Opened An Email (With Attachment). Here's What Happens (dataoverhaulers.com)

The best thing to do with such spam emails is just not to click on them at all, so they do not open and leave then in the spam folder.

alf28